Co-education better as girls ‘calm’ boys in class: study

London, April 13 (IANS) Co-educational institutions are better as the presence of girls in the classroom not only exerts a calming effect on boys but also makes them more mindful of their behaviour, says a new study. What’s more, it also acts as incentive for them to perform better in exams.

The new study, by Tel Aviv University researchers, has suggested that while boys and girls may learn differently, it is better not to send them to gender segregated schools.

Researcher Analia Schlosser, who led the study, attributed the effect to the positive influence girls exercise on classroom environments.

Schlosser investigated girls and boys in mixed classrooms in all segments of the Isreaeli school system. She concluded that classes with more than 55 percent of girls had better exam results and less violent outbursts overall.

The study found boys with more female peers in their classes showed higher enrolment rates in both advanced math and science classes, but overall benefits were found in all grades for both sexes.

Schlosser found that primary school classrooms with a female majority showed increased academic success for both boys and girls, along with a notable improvement in subjects like science and mathematics.

In middle schools, girls were found to have better academic achievement in English, languages and math. And in high school, the classrooms which had the best academic achievements overall were consistently those that had a higher proportion of girls enrolled.

A higher percentage of girls lowers the amount of classroom disruption and fosters a better relationship between pupils and their teacher, a study of the data suggests. Teachers are less tired in classrooms with more girls, and pupils overall seem to be more satisfied when a high female-to-male ratio persists.